“And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50

Young Mary expressed a truth many fail to understand in our day. The LORD’s mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation.

In other words, not all receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. Though God “so loved the world,” and Christ died for the sins of all (John 1:29; 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:15; 1 John 2:2), not all are pardoned and forgiven. Rather it is those who humble themselves before the LORD God, acknowledge their sinfulness and look to Him for mercy for the sake of the holy life and innocent sufferings and death of Christ Jesus, God the Son in human flesh and our Savior.

This same truth is expressed in Psalm 103:17-18: “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” (Cf. Psalm 95:7ff.; Isa. 53:1; Rom. 10:16.)

In Exodus 20:5-6, we read: “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (cf. Ex. 34:6-7).

The truth expressed by Mary, as well as in the Psalms and Exodus, is not that anyone can merit God’s mercy by his works or keeping the Commandments but that God shows mercy to those who confess their sins and look to Him for mercy in Christ Jesus, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; cf. Psalm 32:1-6).

To fear the LORD is to honor and respect Him as our God, Creator and holy Judge. It is to acknowledge that His ways are right and ours are wrong and sinful and deserving of His judgment. And, it is to take Him at His word and trust in His promises of a Savior who would take our sins upon Himself, pay the price and make atonement, and redeem us to God (cf. Gal. 4:4-5). It is to repent of our sins and sinful ways and look in faith to Christ and His cross for mercy and forgiveness!

And God’s mercy is on those who fear Him – on those who partake of His covenant of mercy – from generation to generation. God’s mercy was upon the Old Testament saints, upon the young Virgin Mary, upon Jesus’ disciples in the first century, upon all who repented and trusted in Christ down through the centuries; and it is upon us today when we turn from our sinful ways to Christ Jesus for mercy and forgiveness.

Indeed, “His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.”

Lord God, grant that we not be proud, self-righteous and impenitent, but penitent and trusting in our crucified and risen Savior for mercy. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36

Jesus tells us what will happen before He suddenly appears, coming in clouds of glory to judge the living and the dead. He speaks of what would happen to Jerusalem and what would befall His disciples (Luke 21:5ff.; cf. Matt. 24:1ff.; Mark 13:1ff.); and then he speaks about what will take place immediately before His coming.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).

He tells us that, “when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (v. 28). And He adds the parable of the fig tree: “Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (v. 29-31).

Jesus said (v. 32-33): “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” And, indeed, these signs were already fulfilled in the first century after Christ. There were wars and commotions, false Christs and false prophets. Christians were betrayed and persecuted, and Jerusalem was destroyed for its impenitence and unbelief as Jesus had warned (cf. Luke 19:41-44).

And, Jesus warns us: to “take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Instead of living in drunkenness and excess, and being wrapped up with the cares of this life, we are to be watching and praying that we not be caught off guard and, like the rest of the world, be found living in sin and impenitence and not ready at Jesus’ return. Rather, we are to live in continual repentance, confessing our sins and holding fast to Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness that we might be found ready to stand before Him when He appears.

The Bible tells us in Acts 3:19-21: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

If we are found acknowledging our sins — agreeing with God about our sinfulness — and looking to Jesus and His cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness, we will be ready on that day. Instead of being condemned, we will be given eternal life for Jesus’ sake (cf. 1 John 1:7 – 2:2; Psalm 32:1-6; John 3:14-18). But, if we are found continuing on in our sinful ways, impenitent and unbelieving, that day will find us unprepared and bring upon us God’s wrath and judgment (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7-10; John 3:18; Mark 16:16).

O gracious and merciful Savior, grant that we continue in daily repentance and faith that we might be found ready on that day when You come to judge the living and the dead. Amen.

[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:16-17

The words of Gabriel to Zacharias echo the Word of the Lord recorded by Malachi the prophet: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6). And, as we prepare for the second advent of the LORD, our Lord Jesus Christ, we carry on the ministry of John the Baptist in calling all to repentance and pointing them to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of all (cf. John 1:29).

While many think lightly of Christ’s return and the final judgment and see no need for repentance, it is indeed a serious matter. If the LORD judges us according to His law, who can stand (cf. Mal. 3:2ff.; 4:1,6; Ps. 130:3ff.)? Indeed, none of us, for we have all sinned and come short of what God, in His law, demands (cf. Rom. 3:19-20,23). It is for that reason that John the Baptist came, to call upon sinners to repent and look to Christ the Lamb of God for pardon and forgiveness (cf. Luke 3:2ff.; Ps. 130:4ff.). And the Church, through its ministers, still preaches the same message today (cf. Luke 24:46-47; John 20:20-23; Acts 3:19ff.).

Both John and the Church seek to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Through the preaching of God’s Word, the fathers and their descendants are united again in the true fear of the LORD. Those who were disobedient to the true faith are awakened to their sinfulness by God’s Spirit and turned to the wisdom of the just – to the wisdom of those who acknowledge and repent of their sinful ways and look in faith to the LORD God for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of the promised Messiah and His redeeming work.

The only way for you and me, or for anyone, to be ready for the Lord’s return and to escape the curse and condemnation of God’s holy law is to repent and trust in the holy life and innocent sufferings and death of Christ Jesus for the sins of the world (cf. Gal. 3:10,13; Acts. 4:12).

O LORD God, we have sinned and come short of the righteousness your law demands. We are guilty and justly stand condemned. Have mercy upon us and forgive us our sins for the sake of the holy life and innocent sufferings and death of Christ Jesus, Your Son and our crucified and risen Savior, that we might be found in Him just and holy and acceptable in Your sight on that day when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Psalm 25:6-7

Ad Te Levavi is the traditional name for the first Sunday in Advent. It is the Latin title for the introit of the day, from Psalm 25:1: “Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.”

As we prepare for Christ’s second advent – His triumphal entry into this world as eternal King and Judge – we lift up our souls unto the LORD and pray that He would remember and look upon us in His mercy and not according to our sinfulness under His law.

We pray that the LORD God (Jehovah God) would remember His tender mercies and His lovingkindnesses which He promised from of old – to Adam and Eve in the Garden, to Abraham, to David and to all the Old Testament saints (cf. Gen. 3:15; 22:18; Ps. 51; Isa. 53; 55:1ff.).

If the LORD were to deal with us according to our sins, none of us could stand in His judgment. We would all be condemned to the everlasting torments of hell because of our sinful hearts and our sinful thoughts, desires, words and actions (cf. Psalm 130:3ff.; Matt. 15:19; Rom. 3:9ff.; Gal. 3:10).

As sinners, condemned by God’s holy law, we flee in faith to the grace and mercy of God for the sake of His Son, the Lamb of God who made atonement for the sins of the world (John. 1:29; 1 John 1:8 – 2:2; Rom. 3:19-26). We pray: “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.”

And, because Jesus Christ died for all our sins and rose again on the third day, those who look in faith to Christ and His cross for mercy are pardoned, forgiven, justified and accepted of God (cf. Rom. 3:21-26; Eph. 1:6-7; Gal. 3:13, 26-27); and they have a place in His everlasting kingdom (John 3:14-16; Mark 16:16; Rom. 5:1-10,17).

Jesus Christ is coming again! Though He entered into Jerusalem, the center of the Old Testament church, humbly and riding on a donkey nearly 2,000 years ago with some hailing Him as the promised Messiah and King and others rejecting Him, He now is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords and every knee shall bow (cf. Phil 2:9-11; Rev. 19:11-16). He will judge the living and the dead.

How do you wish to be remembered in that Day? According to your sins and many transgressions, or according to His mercy for the sake of His blood shed upon the cross for the sins of all?

“Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.”

O LORD God, our gracious Savior, do not deal with us according to our sins as we justly deserve under Your holy law, but deal with us in Your mercy and lovingkindness for the sake of the holy life and innocent sufferings and death of Christ Jesus, Your dear Son and our Redeemer. In His name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish….” Matthew 25:1-3 Read v. 1-13

Are you ready for Jesus Christ to return on the last Day? Jesus told this parable to admonish us to be watchful and ready at all times for His return.

Jesus here compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who “took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” The wise virgins took extra oil for their lamps so that they would be ready even if the “bridegroom tarried.” The foolish took only the oil in their lamps and did not consider the possibility that their lamps would go out before the bridegroom arrived.

As a result, these foolish virgins were not prepared and ready when the bridegroom came; and they did not enter with the bridegroom into the marriage feast.

With this parable, Jesus warns us against being foolishly unprepared for His return on the Last Day. It is foolish for us who believe in Christ today to fall asleep and not be watching for His return. It is foolish not to have our faith continually nourished and kept burning through the regular use of the Word of God and the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper).

If we do not make such provision by continually using of the Word of God in our homes and hearing the Word and receiving the Lord’s Supper in our church, we may find our lamps empty and gone out at Jesus’ coming. Our faith in Christ will have waned and died because we did not continue to hear the warnings of God’s Law or the comforts of the Gospel and we no longer placed our hope and confidence in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for our eternal salvation!

Those who have no living, saving faith in Jesus Christ when He returns in Judgment will be shut out of heaven, for it will be too late to repent and rekindle faith at that time! But those who have wisely provided oil for their lamps – those who continue to nourish their faith by remembering their Baptism, reading and hearing the Word of God, and receiving the body and blood of Christ given and shed for the remission of sins that the Holy Ghost may, through these means, keep their faith burning and assure them of forgiveness for all their sins and of life everlasting for Jesus’ sake – will enter into heaven with Jesus and enjoy its blessings forever (cf. Revelation 19:7-9; 21:24).

With my lamp well trimmed and burning, swift to hear and slow to roam, watching for Thy glad returning to restore me to my home. Come, my Savior, Come, my Savior, O my Savior, quickly come. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #606, Verse 4)

[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]